I'll Always Be Here
by WolverinesDarlin
Summary: One shot. What was going on in Shepards and Garrus' minds when they see each other for the first time again. What happened in the shuttle on the way back? And what COULD have happened in the briefing room? Could their romance have started earlier?


Writing this story because I'm at an awkward stage in my new Joker and FemShep story. I'm not really feeling that story, so I thought maybe I should write another Garrus story. I am like TOTALLY in love with Garrus. During my first Mass Effect I romanced Kaiden… well not only was he a total ASS in the second one but… Garrus is just WAY better. Anyway, I'm hoping this to be a one shot. Enjoy!

I do not own Mass Effect or the characters. They belong to the awesome people at Bioware.

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Was it possible? He must be more gone that he thought. Shepard was gone, dead, finished. _Then why the hell is she right in front you you moron!? _He was not sure. She couldn't be really here. He fired a couple concussive rounds at her, _If it's really her I want her to to hurry the hell up. _Shepard, or what appeared to be Shepard, was making her way up the bridge, shooting and killing mercs on her way left and right with her assault rifle. _Some things never change._

Before he knew it she was right behind him, her two squad members following behind her.

"Archangel…" If this chick was an imposter she can hold her horses. If she was really Shepard she would understand. Garrus held up his hand in a known "wait" signal. He took the shot and killed the merc before the idiot even know what had happened. Garrus stood up and walked to the woman, her followers had Cerberus emblems on their uniforms, he took off his helmet and sat down on one of the crates.

"Shepard. I thought you were dead."

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Shepard watched as the turian made his way over to her, however once the helmet was off and he was sitting down she realized that the turian, Archangel, was no average turian; it was Garrus!

"Shepard. I thought you were dead."

"Garrus! What are you doing here?"

"Just keeping my skills sharp. Some target practice." He sounded strained and extremely tired.

"Are you okay?" she quirked her eyebrow.

"Been better, but it sure is good to see a friendly face. Killing mercs is hard work… especially on my own."

"How did you manage to piss off EVERY merc group in the terminus system?"

"It wasn't easy, I had to work REALLY hard." His mandibles flared in amusement but his voice was still tired and strained.

"Well we got in here, but I doubt getting out will be that easy." She looked over to the bridge entrance.

She watched Garrus get up from the crate. "No it won't. The bridge has saved my life… funneling all those witless idiots into scope. But it works both ways… they'll slaughter us if we try to get out that way. This place held so far, and with you three…"

"What do you suggest?" Shepard asked.

"I suggest we hold here, wait for a crack in their defenses, and take our chances. It's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan."

"Let's kick some ass." She smirked at him. Garrus shook his head,

"You haven't changed much, good to see some things don't change. Let's see what they are up too." Shepard followed Garrus to the outlook as he used his scope to get a better look.

"Hmmm, looks like they know their infiltration team failed. Take a look," Garrus handed her his sniper rifle, "Scouts, Eclipse I think." She lined the cross airs with one of the mechs heads and took the shot.

"One less. It looks like a lot more than scouts."

"Indeed. We better get ready. I'll stay up here. I can do a lot of damage from up here, you… you do what you do best. Just like old times Shepard."

Shepard nodded and she, Miranda, and Jacob left for downstairs to keep the mercs at bay and from getting up to Garrus.

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Garrus felt as the gunships guns ripped through his Shields and threw him to the ground. He crawled over to and got behind one of the crates. He took some deep breaths and waited for his sheilds to recharge. He stole a glance at Shepard, even with her guarded, bad-ass cover he could see the worry and fear in her eyes. There was no doubt that this woman was her. He'd ask how the hell she was alive later.

His shields had recovered he popped out of cover to take a shot when he was hit again, everything went black.

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"Garrus!!!" Shepard watched as her friend was blown away, her heart stopped when she saw he didn't get up and his blood started to pool around him. She looked back at the gunship, she was just glad she had killed the repair man before it was fully functional. Time to blow these bastards to hell.

"Jacob!" She pointed to a spot behind one of the stone plant holders to the right of the room. She then ordered Miranda to take cover behind another to the left. She took point and pulled out her grenade launcher.

Her joy in the destruction of the ship was short lived, before she could fully celebrate she remembered Garrus.

"Garrus…" She breathed.

She ran over to his form and touched his side. His eyes shot open and he gasped for breath, his grip tightened on his rifle. "Garrus!"

Shepard rolled him over onto his back, "Hold on Garrus." She looked to Miranda, "Call the Normandy, tell them to get the shuttle here stat!" Her gaze went back to Garrus. He was terrified and in pain. Blood started to come up from his throat, spilling through his lips; it took everything in her being not to start crying. She couldn't lose him. "Hold on Garrus, help is coming." More blood, came up but his eyes never left her face. "Just hold on…" she whispered, she was shocked by her own lack of voice.

"We better hurry, he looks bad."

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"_I dunno Garrus. He just…" Shepard sighed._

"_I know. You made the right decision."_

"_I just don't understand why he had to say all that. After everything we've been through… we have one fight and he blows up about everything, I can handle myself but I don't want to be in a relationship where a guy has violent reactions to everything." Shepard sighed again._

" _I understand." Garrus watched as Shepard put the icepack back on her eye. Kaiden and Shepard had gotten into a fight, Kaiden got out of hand and used a biotic punch on her. She had been thrown back against the wall and knocked out cold. Kaiden had brought her to the infirmary distraught. Shepard was fine aside from a concussion and a black eye, but that was enough for her, she broke it off only a couple hours after her recovery. _

"_Thanks for listening Garrus."_

"_Of course Shepard."_

"_Garrus…"_

"_Yah?"_

"_Garrus…."_

"_What?"_

"_GARRUS…"_

"_WHAT?!"_

"_Oh god Garrus, look at me…"_

"_I am looking… AH" _Garrus felt a sharp pain all throughout his body. There was pressure on his hand it was small but it was noticable enough. He opened his eyes quickly and looked around desperately he didn't know where he was, it didn't take long to locate Shepard though. She had tears falling down her face, he had never seen that before. Shepard never cried, not even with what happened between her and Kaiden.

He still wasn't sure where he was but knowing Shepard was there with him helped him relax mentally, physically… not so much. Everything hurt.

"She…" he gasped at the pain that erupted through his chest and face when he tried to talk.

"Sshh, Garrus just lie still, I need you to stay with me though okay. I need you to stay awake for me, keep looking at me. Keep breathing and stay awake for me." The pressure on his hand increased for a moment before it faded again, she was holding his hand."Can you do that?"

He tried to speak again but stopped and just nodded his head. He closed his eyes for just a moment but Shepard would have none of it.

"Garrus no! I know your tired, but I need you to stay awake! Please Garrus look at me."

He did; he opened his eyes and looked at her. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy, what little make-up she wore had smeared. Her hair was out of her usual tight pony tail and way now in what humans called a loose bun. She was covered in his blood, her armor covered in blue, she had smears on her face and down her neck. Suddenly whatever they were in lurched and the door opened and Dr. Chakwas came into his line of vision.

"Mr. Vakarian…" the good doctor said. "What have you done to yourself." She started giving out orders, and talking medical talk. He didn't understand a lot of what was going on. Just bits and parts.

"….bad…. happened….?"

"…mercenaries…. gunship…. bastards…"

"I can do…. clean yourself… like shit."

"…..gee…. good…. thanks." At the point everything went dark again. _Sorry Shepard I tried._

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Shepard was in her cabin pacing. _What the hell. I can't lose him! He means so much… What will I do without him. _She paced her fishtank for the 100th time and looked at the fish. She walked over to the control and fed them. She went back to pacing.

He had done so much for her. A friend when she needed one the most. After Ashley had died on Virmire, and Tali had went back to the Flotilla she didn't really have anyone to talk to. After her break up with Kaiden she needed a friend to talk to, so she went to see Garrus, he had talked her through the whole thing.

She didn't cut all her ties off with Kaiden, they stayed on the same team together, and remained friends; getting coffee together, or going down for a drink on the citadel, but it was never the same.

EDI popped up on her little pedestal.

"Shepard, Jacob would like to see you in the briefing room."

"Thank you EDI. I'll be there soon."

"Logging you out Shepard."

……………………

Shepard paced around the briefing room as Jacob told her about Garrus. She stopped and put her hands on the end of the table and leaned forward.

"We did the best we could but he…" the doors opened and Garrus walked in.

"Shepard."

"That is one tough sonofagun. Didn't think he'd be up yet."

Shepard smiled at Garrus. He looked bad, not as bad as before mind you but bad. Jacob excused himeself from their company giving them time to themselves.

"Shepard, tell me honestly. How bad is it? Nobody would give me a mirror." His voice help some humor in it.

"Hell Garrus, you were always ugly… Slap some face paint on there and nobody will even notice."

Garrus laughed. His mandibles flaring. "Aw, don't make me laugh. Damn it. My face is barley holding together as it is." He still looked amused though.

Shepard suddenly felt a huge wave of relief flood over her even more than when he first walked in. Not only was Garrus alive, but he was still intact.

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Her smile disappeared and a frown made its way onto her face. No doubt thinking about what happened.

"Thank you Shepard. For being there and helping me through it." He looked away. "You saved my life."

He looked back at her and she smiled. "I'm just glad your okay."

"Me too." They just looked at each other for a long time.

Garrus cleared his throat and said, "I'm uh, well I heard you were with Cerberus."

"As of right now they are a necessary evil. The Alliance ain't doing a damn thing about the colonies and the Reapers, Cerberus is. Not to mention… they brought me back to life. I'm only here because of them."

Garrus stared at her. He understood the necessary evil part, and he would stick by her no matter what even with Cerberus. It was the last part.

Shepard must have caught onto his confusion.

"I did die that day SR-1 Normandy went out… but Cerberus put me back together with what they call the Lazarus Project. But I'm still me Garrus, nothing has changed… not really."

Garrus walked up to her. "I know. I saw, I heard. I know you are still you." He embraced her and they held on for some time. When they released Shepard looked up and smiled.

"Garrus" she said. "You were purring…"

"I uh… hm? That.. well." Garrus didn't know what to say. He did know he was embarrassed, he wasn't sure what she would think about that. Garrus closed his eyes as Shepard began to raise her hand to the left side of his face. When they made contact he leaned into her touch and started purring again.

"I know it wasn't as long for me as it was for you… but I missed you Garrus. I was so sad when the Illusive Man said that I oculdn't stay in contact with any of my old team. I'm so glad that you are here. With me." Shepard was tracing over his features with the tips of her fingers.

"I'm with you Shepard, I've got your back. No matter what happens… I want you to know… I'll always be there."

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Good bad? I was stuck with my other stories so this was just to keep writing and posting while I figure other stuff out. Let me know. Review is a wonderful thing. Please and thank you.


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